The invention relates to hand tools, particularly to a hand socket wrench having a reversible one way drive mechanism that permits infinitely variable reciprocal movement of the wrench handle to selectively drive a socket holding drive member in opposite directions. A quick release mechanism holds the socket on the drive member.
Conventional socket wrenches have reversible one way drives that includes a ring of internal ratchet teeth and movable pawls engageable with the ratchet teeth to complete the drive couple between the handle and socket driven member. The handle must be angularly moved a minimum distance to change the interengaging positions of the ratchet teeth and pawls. This limits the use of the wrenches to environments that have sufficient space to allow for the required angular movement of the wrench handle to effect rotation of the socket driven member. These ratchet wrenches are not usable in confined spaces containing nuts and bolts that must be turned on and off threaded members.
The invention is directed to a hand tool having a reversible one way drive mechanism operable with infinitely variable strokes of a handle to convert reciprocating arcuate movement to stepped rotational movement of a drive member holding a socket. A releasable ball retains a socket or other devices on the drive member. The tool has a handle joined to a head having an inside cylindrical surface. A body having a plurality of ramps is located within the head. Each ramp has an axially extended groove or notch in its middle section to eliminate inadvertent shifting or reverse drive of the drive member. Rollers cooperate with ramps and the inside cylindrical surface of the head to drivably couple the head to the body for one way rotation of the body in response to reciprocating arcuate movement of the handle. The amount of arcuate movement of the handle can be infinitely varied or changed so that the tool can be used in confined spaces to turn nuts and bolts. The tool is efficient and effective in small spaces as it does not have backlash or play in its roller drive mechanism.
One embodiment of the hand tool is a socket wrench having an elongated handle having an end joined to a head. The head has an inside smooth cylindrical surface. A body having a plurality of pockets open to the inside surface and separate outside arcuate surfaces are located within the head. The outside arcuate surfaces are located in sliding engagement with the inside cylindrical surface of the head to allow relative rotation between the head and body and prevent lateral and wobble movements of the body relative to the head. A socket holding drive member is secured to the body. A roller comprising a rod member is positioned in each pocket. The body has a ramp or bottom wall at the bottom of each pocket. The ramps extend along chord lines so that the pockets decrease in depth from opposite sides of the centers of the pockets. The center of each ramp has an axially extended groove or notch that accommodates a portion of the roller and prevents 1he roller from shifting beyond the center of the ramp. Inadvertent shifting of the roller to the opposite drive position is prevented. The rollers have diameters greater than the opposite end sections of the pockets but less than the depth of the center sections of the pockets. When the rollers are shifted to either opposite end sections of the pockets, the handle is in driving relation with he body so that angular movement of the handle in one direction will drive the body and driven member. Angular movement of the handle in the opposite direction will release the drive or lock positions of the rollers allowing the handle to be moved back to a position for another power stroke. A roller shifting ring and washer are rotatably mounted on the head adjacent opposite sides of the body. The ring and washer have annular surfaces that ride on cooperating surfaces on the head to stabilize the body and retain the concentric relationship of the body with the head. The ring is attached to members extended into the pockets for controlling the shifting of the rollers in the pockets. A plurality of detents between the body and ring allow the ring to be selectively angularly moved between first and second positions to locate the rollers in opposite end sections of the pockets. This allows oscillation of the handle to drive the socket holding member in opposite directions determined by the position of the ring relative to the body. The detents releasably hold the ring in its selected first or second positions. A socket release mechanism releasably retains a socket on the drive member. The socket release mechanism has a ball retained in the driven member and controlled with a movable stem mounted on the body.
Another embodiment of the hand tool has an elongated handle with an end joined to a head. The head has an inside smooth cylindrical surface. A body having a plurality of pockets open to the inside surface and separate outside arcuate surfaces are located within the head. The outside arcuate surfaces are located in sliding engagement with the inside cylindrical surface of the head to allow relative rotation between the head and body and prevent lateral and wobble movements of the body relative to the head. A socket holding member is secured to the body. A roller comprising a rod member is positioned in each pocket. The body has ramps or bottom walls at the bottom of each pocket. The ramps extend along chord lines so that the pockets decrease in depth from opposite sides of the centers of the pockets. The middle portion of each ramp has an axially extended groove or notch that accommodates a portion of the roller and prevents the roller from shifting past the groove. When the roller is in the groove the outer surface of the roller disengages the inside cylindrical surface of the head thereby relieving the wedge forces acting on the roller. The rollers have diameters greater than the opposite end sections of the centers of the pockets. The rollers have diameters greater than the opposite end sections of the pockets but less than the depth of the center sections of the pockets. The upper ends of the rollers extend into radial slots in a ring mounted on the head. When the rollers are shifted to either opposite end sections of the pockets, the handle is in driving relation with the body so that angular movement of the handle in one direction will drive the body and driven member. Angular movement of the handle in the opposite direction will release the drive or lock positions of the rollers allowing the handle to be moved back to a position for another power stroke. The roller shifting ring and washer are rotatably mounted on the head adjacent opposite sides of the body. The ring and washer have annular surfaces that ride on cooperating surfaces on the head to stabilize the body and retain the concentric relationship of the body with the head. The ring controls the shifting of the rollers in the pockets as the upper ends of the rollers extend into slots in the ring. A plurality of detents between the body and ring allow the ring to be selectively angularly moved between first and second positions to locate the rollers in opposite end sections of the pockets. This allows oscillation of the handle to drive the socket holding member in opposite directions determined by the position of the ring relative to the body. The detents releasably hold the ring in its selected first or second positions. A socket release mechanism releasably retains a socket on the drive member. The socket release mechanism has a ball retained in the driven member and controlled with a movable stem mounted on the body.
A further embodiment of the hand tool has a handle joined to a head having a smooth internal cylindrical surface. A body having ramps is rotatably located within the head concentric with the cylindrical surface. The body has a hexagonal shape with six ramps. Each ramp has an axial groove or notch providing a recess for the roller to prevent the roller from shifting to a reverse drive position. The groove located generally in the middle of the ramp extends parallel to the axix of rotation of the body. Each ramp can have more than one axial groove. The body can have other body shapes having ramps extended along chord planes of the cylindrical surface. Cylindrical rollers are disposed between the ramps and cylindrical surface. A roller shifting ring and washer mounted on the head on opposite sides of the body hold the body and washer in assembled relation with each other. The ring and washer have annular surfaces that ride on cooperating surfaces on the head to stabilize the body and retain the concentric relationship of the body with the head. The roller shifting ring has arcuate segments that extend between adjacent rollers. Each segment has an outer arcuate surface that rides on the cylindrical surface of the head and an inner surface. The comers of the body ride on the inner surfaces of the segments to further maintain the central location of the body within the head. A plurality of detents between the body and ring allow the ring to be selectively angularly moved between first and second positions to locate the rollers adjacent opposite ends of the ramps. A socket release mechanism remounted on the body releasably retains a socket on a drive member joined to the head.